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- Written by: Tracey Kiff-Judson
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A wonderful Poetry Friday to you and yours!
Want to know more about Poetry Friday? Check out: What in the World is Poetry Friday, and please visit Mary Lee Hahn for this week’s roundup. Mary Lee is serving up a delectable feast of poetry and her recipe for three-bean salad. Yum!
I am over the treetops with excitement to speak with Jone Rush MacCulloch about her extraordinary new novel in verse. Tilt is a middle-grade, coming-of-age story about a young girl named Darrah who struggles with her parents’ divorce while navigating sometimes-tumultuous, fifth-grade friendships.
Real events inspired Jone to write this compelling story. For more on the backstory, check out Carol Labuzetta’s thoughtful review of Tilt here and Jone’s book launch here.
Let’s explore Jone’s process and journey to create Tilt.
TKJ: Jone, thank you for sharing Tilt with me. I was honored to be a beta reader, and I’m in awe of this beautiful work. It offers so much depth, so succinctly. Subplots, meaningful motifs, and gorgeous writing layer this story. Your first chapter starts:
Garry the Oak: Spring
dense
leaves
twist, twirl
in the breeze–
whisper a story–
below, a girl waits for her friend.
There is much to admire about your poetic technique, and the last line welcomes us in, invites us to know more, and feels like the opening of a play or movie. Please tell us about your creative process.
JRM: I’m mostly a pantster when it comes to writing. Usually, something will come to me when I’m driving or in a dream. The first line of Tilt, was very different. I was on my way home from school thinking about something the students told me, “We needed Johnnie [the boy who’s the inspiration for the book] to put the world back together.”
Then this line came to me, “Whoosh up, down splat. Whoosh up, down splat. That’s the way it is on the trampoline.”
My first draft was very short. The story grew through conversations with students in library classes about the friend they lost. Looking back on my first-draft notebook, I see that I did a lot of notes, research, and thinking about the characters.
Later, when I moved to poems, I used the titles as an outline to see where I was in the story.
TKJ: I was struck by how artfully your novel builds. From the beginning, you gently foreshadow and skillfully feed into the climax. Please tell us about your revision process for Tilt.
JRM: Thank you for that. I think I love the process of revision the best. This story has morphed so much from the beginning. One thing I knew early on, is that my story needed tension. I knew that Jackson would die. I knew that Darrah would be deeply affected by his death. The question I asked myself was, “What else?” Without more, it would be the world’s shortest story. As I said, I am mostly a pantster, but in going through my notes, I did find a storyboard.
Being a teacher librarian gave me a catbird seat into the lives of students. I saw students dealing with a wide variety of issues and challenges. I wondered about child grief. I asked questions of my character, Darrah, getting to know her.
Being a voracious reader, I had a sense of what makes for a good story. I also asked the kids questions and read them parts of the early draft. You might say my first beta readers were students. Recently, one of them shared her memory of reading an early edition.
TKJ: I imagine that collaboration was meaningful and therapeutic for everyone. Given your background as a librarian and a teacher, I enjoyed that you included both a librarian and a teacher as characters in Tilt. You also wove Shakespearean references and the grandmother’s wisdom into the story. Please tell us why this was important.
JRM: My grandmother loved Shakespeare. Her favorite quote was, "To thine own self be true." I haven’t been much of a student of Shakespeare, but I’ve always been curious about the symbolism of plants and animals. I research words when I write; therefore, it wasn’t a big leap to have Shakespeare appear in the story.
In 2024, I created a mixed media piece, “Seven Crows Keep a Secret.” As a fan of fairy tales and folklore, numbers are also important to me. I queried what seven crows meant and found the Shakespeare verse that is in the front of the book. Of course, that led me to layer it into the story. It was the same with the herbs in the garden.
TKJ: Many students face reading and literacy challenges today. Writing in verse makes Tilt highly accessible. Did you choose to write in verse at the inception of this journey, or did Tilt evolve into a novel in verse?
JRM: No, I started in prose, but I loved reading novels in verse. As I added them to my collection: Diamond Willow by Helen Frost, Minn and Jake by Janet Wong, and Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse, these books made me ask, “what if?” My writing has always been sparse. I love the poetic form so much more.
In 2009, I revised the story as a series of poems. Somewhere in my writing, I ran across a Fibonacci poem, “Golden Solitaire” to go with a photo I took in the early 2000’s. I realized that I could use a series of Fibonacci poems by an oak to create a mood in between sections of time.
TKJ: I love how the oak anchors us and gives structure to the story. I understand that you created River Oak Press for the purpose of indie publishing. Please tell us about the inception of River Oak Press and your publishing journey.
JRM: I first thought I would go the route of traditional publishing. Over the years, independent, boutique, self-publishing has become more accessible and acceptable. Janet Wong and Sylvia Vardell spoke about it in their classes. Darcy Pattison has made a career of self-publishing. Michelle Barnes, Tabatha Yeats, and Carol Labuzzetta all have small presses. It became clear to me that Tilt was a love project, and it would be a challenge to publish traditionally.
In talking with my sister-in-law, a freelance editor, about the pros and cons of publishing on my own, and then speaking with Erin Dionne, I decided it would be best to create a small press, River Oak Press. I hope there will be some collections from River Oak Press in the future.
TKJ: How exciting! We’ll stay tuned. Were there any big surprises along your journey to create Tilt?
JRM: Yes, I spent from 2016 to 2024 writing in the voice of Lily and the voice of Darrah. In January 2024, a new member of my weekly critique group asked, “Why are you telling this story in two voices?” It gave me pause. I compared the number of Lily poems to Darrah poems and it became very clear that this was and always had been Darrah’s story. I had written Lily to fully understand Darrah’s emotional arc. When I pulled the Lily poems, my story became stronger and more cohesive. Many of the Lilly poems were able to be revised in Darrah’s voice.
An interesting aside, when I was going through final edits, I discovered a critical poem was missing. It was still in the Lily poems and had never made it over. I’m glad I caught it in time.
TKJ: Well, the final product is truly a work of art. Jone, thank you for sharing your insights with us and this impactful story with the world! Please tell us how we can learn more about you and where we can purchase a copy of Tilt.
JRM: Thank you for this conversation. Readers can find me at https://www.jonerushmacculloch.com/ and on Instagram: @jonerushmacculloch.
Tilt is available on Amazon. My hope is to have it listed on Bookstore.org soon.
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Happy Poetry Friday! Want to know more? Check out: What in the World is Poetry Friday. Please visit the lovely Rose Cappelli for this week’s roundup at Imagine the Possibilities. Rose is sharing her April poetry project with tankas inspired by heaven and earth.
Today, I want to give a shout out to Joyce Uglow and Cynthia Mackey. Woohoo, yay, you guys! I had so much fun participating in their Stuck Bumblebee Poetry Challenge last week.
Joyce and Cindy offered a set of keyword prompts each day and invited everyone to join them in writing poetry. Participants could choose to include one or both words from the daily prompt. Below are my seven poems from the week that I would not have drafted without their inspiration. There were some great tips provided each day by poets and authors, including our own Irene Latham!
And a surprise bonus, I won a signed copy of the poetry collection If Pets Wrote Poems by Susan Johnston Taylor. Thank you, Susan!
Monday’s prompt: brea | snail
Crow Escargot
A slippery-footed
snail slithers,
compact,
world on back.
Stalk-eyes scan –
crow attack!
Tuesday’s prompt: climate | hibernate
Bat Hibernates
When skies thin to grey,
autumn’s gold well-spent,
and the wind blows
smoke and chill,
I flit to the hollow,
furl my wings,
and drift into dreams
of spring.
Wednesday’s prompt: extinct | giraffe
Giraffe’s Iatrophobia
“Sore neck?” said Doctor G.,
“Tonsillectomy!”
“Belly ache? Let’s see –
Appendectomy!”
“Runny nose? Dear me…
Of course, Rhinectomy!”
Soon I fear there’ll be
Nothinleftomy.
Thursday’s prompt: future | frozen
Seasons Change
Spring blossoms.
Summer shines.
Fall fades.
Winter nips –
frozen.
Spring clings.
Summer blaze-rages.
Fall falters.
Winter drips…
future?
Friday’s prompt: oozing | swooping
mud pot
grey brownie batter
oozing, bubbling, burping
earth’s slow cooker
(If you’d like to see a mud pot in action, check out this video: Bing Videos)
Saturday’s prompt: ecosystem | bumblebee
Birds and Bees
Tweedledee
Tumbledee
Tumblebee
Bumblebee
Sunday’s prompt: fossil | fox
Fox Appointment
Over hillcrest,
we meet
in the heather
of gloaming.
Your needle gaze
sizes my limbs.
Pricked ears
clock my heartbeat.
Twitchy nose
distills me
from the breeze.
We linger in a moment
of knowing.
HOOO!
Owl adjourns.
Until tomorrow.
Thank you to Joyce and Cindy for creating this fun and engaging challenge and for building the poetry community!
If you have a chance, check out Stuck by Joyce and Butterfly Sea and If a Bumblebee Lands on Your Toe by Cindy!
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The 2026 Progressive Poem is Here!
What is the Progressive Poem? I’ve borrowed this information from Irene Lathem - who got it from Linda Mitchell - who got it from Linda Baie: It began with Irene Latham, who hosted it from 2012-2019. Those archives of the poem can be found HERE! Margaret Simon took over in 2020, and those archives are HERE!
The rules:
- The poem passes from blog to blog.
- Each poet/blogger adds a line.
- The poem is for children.
- Each blogger copies the previous line exactly as written, unless permission from that poet has been given. They then add their own line, offering an introduction if they wish.
We are lucky to have the colorful map created by Tabatha Yeatts to help us visualize this year’s landscape. Thank you to everyone who has contributed to both the map names and the poem! Here goes!
The Land of Poetry
On my first trip to the Land of Poetry,
I saw anthologies of every color, tall as buildings.
A world of words, wonder on wings, waiting just for me!
Birding for words shimmering, flecked in golden gilding.
Binoculars ready, I toured boulevards and side streets,
exploring vibrant verses, verses so honest and tender.
feathery lyrics, bright flitting avian athletes
soaring ‘cross pages in rhythmic splendor.
In the Land of Poetry, I am the conductor,
seeking oodles of poems that tug at my heart,
a musical medley of sound and structure,
An open mic in Frost Forest! Wonder who’ll take part?
There’s a pause in the program; no one takes the stage
the trees quiver, the audience looks up. Raven lands,
singing Earth’s message of the sage.
“Poetry in motion will be forevermore, from forests to sands.”
“Scatter,” she croaked. “Beyond Wilde Pond, to each and every beach.”
Meek Dove mustered courage and sang, “Instill humanity with compassion and peace.
Let Thackeray’s middle name, from this thicket, hearts reach!”
Her gentle coo-ooo-ooos reverberate, soft as fleece.
Words dart, dimple—Do I dare warble what's in my soul?
I’ve inhaled inspiration…yes, I’ll risk my refrain.
I fly to the mic, chanting "Tadpole, mole and oriole!
Come all living beings from water, land, air; come high and low terrains!
Come, living your poems, hearts open, ablaze,
Sing out your noise, adding to our forest-filling chorus!
Together. Empowered. Our choir conveys,
... circling back to the tremendously talented Tabatha for the conclusion!
Thank you to all of these amazing poets for contributing to this year's edition:
April 1 Tabatha Yeatts at The Opposite of Indifference
April 2 Cathy Stenquist at A Little Bit of This and That
April 3 Patricia Franz at Reverie
April 4 Donna Smith at Mainely Write
April 5 Janice Scully at Salt City Verse
April 6 Denise Krebs at Dare to Care
April 7 Ruth Hersey at There is no such thing as a God-forsaken town
April 8 Rose Cappelli at Imagine the Possibilities
April 9 Margaret Simon at Reflections on the Teche
April 10 Janet Clare Fagel at Reflections on the Teche
April 11 Diane Davis at Starting Again in Poetry
April 12 Linda Baie at Teacher Dance
April 13 Linda Mitchell at Another Word Edgewise
April 14 Jone MacCulloch at Jone Rush MacCulloch
April 15 Joyce Uglow at Storied Ink
April 16 Carol Varsalona at Beyond Literacy Link
April 17 Robyn Hood Black at Life on the Deckle Edge
April 18 Michele Kogan at More Art for All
April 19 Kim Johnson at Common Threads
April 20 Buffy Silverman
April 21 Irene Latham at Live Your Poem
April 22 Karen Edmisten
April 23 Heidi Mordhorst at my juicy little universe
April 24 Mary Lee Hahn at A(nother) Year of Reading
April 25 Tanita Davis at Fiction, instead of Lies
April 26 Sharon Roy at Pedaling Poet
April 27 Tracey Kiff-Judson at Tangles and Tails
April 28 Tabatha Yeatts at The Opposite of Indifference
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Poetry Friday Greetings! Want to know more about Poetry Friday? Check out: What in the World is Poetry Friday. Please hop over and visit our talented host, teacher, poet, and artist Jone Rush MacCallough for this week's roundup and an exciting announcement!
Please join me in welcoming author extraordinaire, my friend, Lisa Carmody Doiron! [Bonus: you can find some great surprises on her Facebook Page.]
Lisa, thank you for visiting with me. What a joy to read your new picture book Ahoy! Mate, Ahoy, Miss Molly Malloy.
TKJ: Please tell us how living on Prince Edward Island influenced Ahoy! Are any parts of the story autobiographical?
LCD: PEI is a tiny island on the east coast of Canada. Growing up, I spent most of my time on a boat with my dad. After he passed away in 2019, I knew a story dedicated to our relationship was brewing. There are elements of truth to Ahoy, Mate, Ahoy! For example, the relationship between Molly and Dad is very much the way my dad and I felt about each other, but the story itself is fiction.
TKJ: What a wonderful tribute to your father! I loved the references to various nautical knots throughout your story and how the illustrations showed what they look like. How did you learn about knots?
LCD: The only knots I know how to tie are the ones used to attach your boat to the dock! But my dad loved Celtic knots and collected a few ornaments and pieces of jewelry over the years. I love the symbolism of neverending interconnectedness of Celtic knots and knew they had to play a big part in this story.
TKJ: That is beautiful symbolism. Let’s get technical. The selection of anapestic meter feels natural with stories of the sea. Did you consider other meters or write this story in anapestic meter from the start?
LCD: The meter of this story is entirely based around the phrase Ahoy, Mate, Ahoy! Miss Molly Molloy. Everything had to jive with that lilt because I wasn’t willing to adjust that phrase. Truthfully, I didn’t analyze the meter until very late in the process. (Don’t tell the poetic purists!) I have a music background and tried to make the text ‘sing’ as best I could. I wasn’t aiming for a perfect anapestic meter. Instead, I wanted the story to stand out within the lilt of the meter and took liberties where needed.
TKJ: That makes perfect sense. Patrick Guidon’s whimsical illustrations suit this rhyming story beautifully. I noticed that Patrick is also from PEI. Did you get a chance to meet or collaborate?
LCD: Isn’t Patrick just the best!? He’s actually originally from Ontario, but we won’t hold that against him. I didn’t know Patrick prior to this collaboration. I had heard of him because it’s PEI, so everyone knows everyone’s cousin. I did have a chance to hang out with him recently though, and it was a fast friendship. We are definitely of the same quirky ilk and have lots of things planned for our book launch events.
TKJ: That sounds like a unique partnership and so lovely it worked out that way. Ahoy! touches on several wonderful themes such as aging, generational bonds, the dangers of seafaring life, and overcoming fears. What would you like your readers to take away from Molly’s adventures?
LCD: My favourite takeaway from this story is that we are eternally and intrinsically connected to our loved ones no matter where they are. There is more to this life than ‘this life’ if you know what I mean. As the Celtic knot suggests, we are part of the endless cycle of life, death, and rebirth. I’m a fan of children’s books that illuminate the inevitably of death. My own two children have experienced indescribable losses in their short lives. I want stories that support children through these inevitable and heartbreaking truths. While Dad doesn’t die in this story, it is suggested that he is aging, and when it’s his time, the knot is handed down. My hope is that this story is used to generate discussions among families about our neverending bonds with our loved ones.
TKJ: That is gorgeous. Thank you for creating this story to support children through difficult times, and thank you so much for sharing your thoughts on your journey to create Ahoy, Mate, Ahoy! How can folks get thar hands on a copy?
LCD: Thank you so much for the opportunity to share my book with your audience, Tracey. Folks can order through the following links. I’m so grateful for your support!
https://pownalstreetpress.com/book/ahoy-mate-ahoy-miss-molly-molloy/
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Thank you to our witty and wonderful Poetry Friday host, Matt Forrest Esenwine! Please visit Matt at Radio, Rhythm & Rhyme for this week's round up and a book-anniversary celebration for A Universe of Rainbows.
Today, we welcome Suzy Levinson, children’s poet extraordinaire! She is here to ring in National Poetry Month with us. You can find Suzy on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suzylevinson/ and at her website: https://suzylevinson.com/
TK: Suzy, so wonderful to talk with you. I first heard your name several years ago when you judged a poetry contest that I entered (with a very forgettable poem!). Our paths crossed again when you co-taught the Lyrical Language Lab with Renée LaTulippe, and nowadays, I see your name pop up in connection with poetry everywhere—including your November interview with Buffy Silverman.
Let’s dive into your latest book: Dinos that Drive!
There is so much humor in this collection. The narrators are a riot and the ongoing T. rex bit adds another amusing layer. You are a naturally funny person! Please tell us about your process for incorporating humor into your writing. Does it spill out in the first draft, or do you build humor through revision?
SL: I wouldn’t say I intentionally incorporate humor into my work. Rather, I’ve come to recognize that when I write, funny things just happen, so I lean into that. It’s interesting, because I’m not exactly the class clown in real life. I bet 95% of the people I’ve met would not describe me as funny (although the remaining 5% think I’m hilarious). I guess it’s about feeling comfortable. When I go into creative mode, I just loosen up and worry less. Then I can play around with the element of surprise—which, let’s face it, is at the core of all humor. Carefully setting up the bowling pins, only to zap ’em with a space laser.
I think that’s perhaps the coolest part about writing: discovering and cultivating our own personal strengths. Surprising ourselves sometimes!
TK: KA-POW! Your creativity in action! Wonderful!
Every time I look at Dinos, I pick up another witty tidbit incorporated by illustrator Dustin Harbin. Some of my favorites: Rexxon Future Fuel, the Asteroid Pops ice cream truck, the camping dino reading How to Discover Fire! Dustin used the incongruity between dinosaurs and technology to add even more humor. The illustrations call to mind the detailed drawings of Richard Scarry. Were you surprised by the complexity of the illustrations?
SL: To be real with you, no. I was delighted, but not surprised. I took a good look at Dustin’s portfolio before he agreed to illustrate the book. I don’t remember precisely what I said to my editor, but it was something to the effect of, “If Dustin doesn’t do this project, I’ll die.” He’s a genius. He can draw anything, he’s an awesome world-builder, plus he’s got that dry edge. Long story short, I knew he’d nail it!
As a huge illustration geek, I can’t believe I get to work with such brilliant artists. It’s the best.
TK: It’s a tough choice, but I think my favorite poem in this collection has to be “Iguano-Gone: A Sad Country Song.”
Your creative voice shines through so clearly: “Iguanodon, I mean, come on, you’re tearing me apart!” Which was your favorite poem to write, and which was the most confounding?
SL: “Iguano-Gone” is my favorite, too. It was so fun to write a fake country song—and later work with a musician to turn it into a real country song!
As far as confounding…oh! Maybe not confounding, but there was one downright terrifying moment with “Lots of Aquilops.” I originally wrote the poem thinking that the stress fell on the first syllable (A-quil-ops), when it actually falls on the second syllable (a-QUIL-ops). Thank goodness for the sharp eyes at Tundra Books! When my editor gently pointed out the mistake, I was mortified. I wound up rewriting the poem fairly quickly, but can you imagine if the first version had been published, with messed-up meter?! I’m sweating just thinking about it!
TK: Oof! The rhyming poet’s worst nightmare!
It’s an unfortunate misconception that writing children’s poetry is easy. Aside from the technical aspects of writing poetry, I imagine you also had to do a lot of dino research. What was the most challenging aspect of creating this collection?
SL: I think the most challenging aspect was getting over the intimidation factor, right at the start. I knew the collection was only going to work if there was some weird internal logic to it, so that meant research—just one trait connecting each dino to each vehicle, but still daunting! Plus, I knew that incorporating dinosaur names like Pachycephalosaurus into metrical rhyming verse might be a smidge tougher than, say, cat.
But at some point, fun outweighed intimidation—for instance, when I learned that Brontosaurus’s name means “Thunder Lizard,” the perfect biker name, I couldn’t resist at least trying to write this thing.
TK: What were some differences in your writing journey to create Dinos and that of writing your earlier collection Animals in Pants?
SL: Oh, I learned so much from Animals in Pants! For that one, I mostly focused on writing enough poems to make up a full collection. It was only after I sold it that my editor at Abrams/Cameron Kids quite rightly suggested that it needed more structure, which hadn’t even occurred to me. The book was never going to have a traditional story arc, but I was able to give it a bit more shape by adding a simple intro and outro, plus shuffling poems around. Lots of trial and error before we had the final product (which I love).
It was because of that experience that I was far more intentional about structure while writing Dinos that Drive. From the get-go, I included intro and outro poems. I clustered the poems more strategically. I peppered the four short T. rex poems throughout the collection, to serve as a bit of a refrain while also building momentum. Even the two little fact-spouting sidebar dinos, who came later in the process, contribute to moving things along as they chat away.
But of course, the biggest difference between the two collections was the inclusion of facts in Dinos that Drive. Totally unavoidable. While there was no need for me to explain dogs sleeping or kangaroos jumping in Animals in Pants, it would’ve felt pretty odd for me not to explain why certain dinos migrate or swallow rocks.
TK: Without giving away too much, can you talk about how you came up with the idea for Dinos’ unexpected ending?
SL: The ending’s fun, right? I love dry humor in children’s books, but I also love hope and heart. So how was I going to imbue the ending with hope and heart when dinosaurs went extinct? And how was I going to do that while also mentioning driving? In rhyme? It seemed almost impossible, but hey, that’s the beauty of writing with constraints; sometimes if you give yourself enough problems, you wind up with only one solution!
TK: How can people get a copy of Dinos that Drive?
SL: I hope you’ll all pick up a copy of Dinos that Drive, wherever books are sold! Here are some options on my website. And if anyone wants a signed bookplate, just message me and I’ll pop one in the mail, easy-peasy.
TK: Thank you for that kind offer and for spending this time with us and sharing your wonderful journey to create Dinos that Drive, Suzy! We wish you great success!
SL: Thanks, Tracey! Happy National Poetry Month!
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Happy Friday, and better yet, Happy POETRY Friday! Want to know more about Poetry Friday? Check out: What in the World is Poetry Friday.
We are lucky to have the talented photographer, author, and poet Marcie Flinchum Atkins hosting this week. Please visit her blog Marcie Flinchum Atkins for the latest on her book When Twilight Comes: The Animals and Plants That Bring Dawn and Dusk to Life.
Speaking of all things crepuscular, during a recent camping trip through the southeastern US, we stayed at a campground loaded with sprawling banyan trees. Each one brimmed with activity at twilight (and probably all day for that matter!). Being from the Northeast, I’ve never had the opportunity to explore these enthralling behemoths of the plant world.
The banyan, also sometimes referred to as a strangler fig, starts life by wrapping vines around another tree, eventually killing it. The banyan reaches out spaghetti-like whiskers and builds columns, layer after layer, expanding its limbs and trunk. When an arm grows too heavy, the Banyan builds its own crutch. When a limb dies, it feeds the insects.
The banyan specializes in architecture, especially columns and arches, but sometimes an elephant (can you spot one below?).
What lived within this banyan fascinated me as much as the tree itself. Home to things earthly and human-made, this tree housed peepers and creepers, hosted morning lizard meetups, collected trash, and coddled young palm trees (at least for the moment).
A symbol of both life and death, the banyan holds significance in many religions. Below is my reflection about the banyan's methods in the context of today's politics. Please excuse the focus on the darker aspects of this miracle of nature!
Regime
Strangling a sapling,
Banyan rises from death.
Desperate for more,
always more,
he reaches, grabs, chokes,
roots, builds, layers.
He busies himself
with expansion plans,
indifferent to the little ones
clinging to his limbs:
peepers,
creepers,
chameleons,
a sapling.
© Tracey Kiff-Judson 2026
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Happy Poetry Friday! Thanks to Molly for hosting this week! Please visit Nix the Comfort Zone for Molly’s Wendell Berry prompt as well as this week’s Poetry Friday roundup. Want to know more about Poetry Friday? Check out: What in the World is Poetry Friday.
I am truly enjoying the postcard swap with Poetry Friday friends. Thank you so much for celebrating the year of the Fire Horse by sharing such gorgeous artwork and poetry. Tabetha, Linda M., Mary Lee, and Patricia - you are each an inspiration!
Thank you also to Eerdman’s Books For Young Readers for sharing an advance copy of Poems for Every Season by Bette Westera with illustrations by Henriette Boerendans, translated from Dutch to English by David Colmer. This gentle collection wanders through the year from spring through winter with reflections on a quaint farmhouse and woodland creatures in their seasonal finery.
Each season rolls in on a delicate haiku and meanders through the months with a variety of poetic forms. I spotted a few forms that our Poetry Friday friends have previously posed as writing challenges – such as the month of June's pantoum. A favorite form of mine is, of course, the double dactyl. Because it’s difficult to maintain rhyme, and especially meter, in translated works, David Colmer acknowledges taking some liberties with the translations.
The woodcut illustrations and the beautifully muted color palate capture the mood of each poem. I particularly love the distressed-denim textures of February’s “Frozen Buds.”
Poems for Every Season will be available for purchase on February 17, 2026 online or at a bookseller near you. If you’re looking to buy from a female-owed, indie bookstore, a favorite of mine is Odyssey Bookshop in South Hadley, MA.
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Happy New Year, Everyone!
Thank you, Ruth, for hosting Poetry Friday this week. Please visit her blog for a bowlful of Soulful Warming. To learn more about Poetry Friday, see What in the World is Poetry Friday.
It has been a challenging year, so I am trying to start 2026 with a new outlook. I am thinking of REFRAME as my OLW. I want to seek out the opportunities that lie within challenges. I need to believe possibilities always exist, even if they are difficult to spot at first glance.
I am feeling a little Rolling Stones - You Can’t Always Get What You Want…
or perhaps it is more Patti LaBelle - New Attitude…
or perhaps this poem by Jorie Graham captures it:
Prayer
By Jorie Graham
Over a dock railing, I watch the minnows, thousands, swirl
themselves, each a minuscule muscle, but also, without the
way to create current, making of their unison (turning, reinfolding,
entering and exiting their own unison in unison) making of themselves a
visual current, one that cannot freight or sway by
minutest fractions the water’s downdrafts and upswirls, the
dockside cycles of finally-arriving boat-wakes, there where
they hit deeper resistance, water that seems to burst into
itself (it has those layers), a real current though mostly
invisible sending into the visible (minnows) arrowing motion that forces change—
this is freedom. This is the force of faith. Nobody gets
wat they want. Never again are you the same. The longing
is to be pure. What you get is to be changed.
… read the rest here.
I’ll leave you with two quotes from Albert Eistein:
- We can't solve today's problems with the mentality that created them.
- Imagination is more important than knowledge. Imagination is the language of the soul. Pay attention to your imagination and you will discover all you need to be fulfilled.
Hmmm, maybe REIMAGINE is even better. What do you think?
Wishing you all a wonderful 2026!
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- Written by: Tracey Kiff-Judson
- Category: Blog
Thank you to Charlesbridge Publishing for sharing these gorgeous books with me from their Fall, 2025 release list.
I adore each one.
- I love the STEAM aspects of Cesar’s Cerulean Surprise.
- Sticky Hermana and Found You! will be relatable to so many kids.
- Between you and me, I predict that Charolotte’s New Moccasins is going to start a moccasin craze.
- Owl’s Fall Feast really spoke to me personally, as I will be hosting a family reunion for Thanksgiving this year.
- I am partway through The Golden Necklace and enjoying learning about Nepalese culture in Darjeeling while trying to solve the mystery of the stolen jewels!
I truly appreciate Charlesbridge’s generosity in sharing these stories with me, and I applaud them for the diverse and relatable stories they put into the world. I hope that many children feel seen in these books.
Thank you, Charlesbridge!